Costume Quandary (12th Precinct Castle Halloween FanFic Competition)
by TwelfthPrecinct
Summary: This is an entry for the very first 12th Precinct Castle Halloween FanFic Competition, organized by 12thprecinct. Name was changed to "Costume dilemma" and author added a sequel. Author s pen name: purplangel


OH, he was such a bad, bad boy. She was going to kill him.

Rick looked anxiously at his watch: 1:44 pm. The packages were expected to be delivered to the precinct around 1:30. His leg shook uncontrollably and his fingers flew over his Iphone as he played Angry Birds.

"Castle," Beckett hissed, "You're unusually hyper today. What's up?"

"Oh," his startlingly blue eyes gazed into hers. "Am I?" He threw her that flirty smirk which made her toes curl. "It must be the four cups of caffeine I've been forced to drink today because of your God-awful-early-morning-wake-up call."

She rolled her eyes. Kate sat back in her chair with her arms crossed and teasingly glared at him. "It's about the Halloween party, isn't it?"

He looked sheepish, but before he could answer Ann Hastings interrupted them, carrying four medium sized boxes.

"Detective Beckett, here's some packages for your team."

Castle jumped up from his chair. "Officer Hastings, I was delighted to receive you and Paul's RSVP to the Halloween party." He reached out and shook her hand.

"We wouldn't miss it for the world, Castle. Thank you for the invitation. We're looking forward to it." She winked knowingly at him before sauntering away.

Kate called the boys over and handed them their package. There was one for Jenny as well.

"So these are the costumes that Castle ordered for us for the party." Esposito shook his box. "All I can say is, bro, it better be macho or I'm going to hurt your ass… I refuse to show up as Peter Pan."

"Don't worry, Espo," he fist bumped him. "The Peter Pan costume is for Ryan."

"Hey, I resent that."

"You don't need to worry either, Ryan," Beckett joked. "I hinted to Castle that you'd be perfect as the Lucky Charm Leprechaun."

"Ha, Ha," and as Ryan opened his box, his eyes opened wide in surprise. "Cool. Spiderman… Thanks Castle."

Rick grinned and replied, "Jenny, of course, will make a beautiful Mary Jane."

Kate started opening her box and Rick immediately excused himself. He was NOT going to be anywhere near the vicinity of Kate Beckett when she saw her costume.

Damn, I should have hidden her taser, or at the very least had Espo take her glock.

"Cas – tle!" Her exasperated scream could be heard throughout the bullpen.

Shit, I'm so busted, was his last thought before the break room door practically swung off its hinges as Beckett threw it open. He jerked away from the coffee machine, spilling some of the hot liquid on his hand.

"You have a lot of nerve," she exploded. "I'll be the laughing stock of the entire precinct… There's no way in hell I'm coming dressed as Wonder Woman."

If looks could kill, he would've found a knife sticking out of his back.

"Beckett, think of this as a compliment," he purred, trying to calm her down. "You know I have a Super Hero themed party and no one," he smiled engagingly, "no one but you," his voice dropped an octave, "could pull off her glorious, thigh high, leather boots with the killer four inch heels."

Oh dear God, with the way Kate was standing, – her eyes flashing hotly at him, - legs 12 inches apart with her hands on her hips and her chest heaving in and out in aggravation… He bit his knuckles as he couldn't help picturing her as Wonder Woman in that exact same stance.

She'd be his fantasy-come-true in the red sweetheart, tight bodice with gold overlay covering her enticing breasts. His eyes scanned her waist and dropped to her full hips. The royal blue spandex with white stars would hug her lower assets deliciously. The costume would highlight her hourglass figure as if it was made specifically for her.

Rick groaned when he felt the blood rush south. He turned away from her so she wouldn't notice his arousal at the mere prospect of her dressing as Wonder Woman.

"Beckett, just think of it as a one-piece swim suit. There's nothing particularly racy about the costume." He took a quick peek at her through lowered lids and could practically feel the daggers shooting from her eyes. "Yes, it's a little low, and yes, there's not a lot of material to the costume, BUT it definitely will cover you up in all the right places and with the thigh high boots?" He licked his suddenly dry lips imagining seeing her in only those sexy-to-die-for-fire-engine-red-boots.

Down boy, down.

He cleared his throat, "And with the boots covering 75% of your legs, … no one could claim that you were under dressed for the party."

Kate's eyes narrowed as she gathered her thoughts.

Rick prepared to be blasted with, 'This-costume-epitomizes-how-women-in-todays-society-are-only-seen-as-sex-objects' speech, but his heart lifted as her gaze softened.

"Castle," she said heatedly, "What happened to the Elektra costume?"

Voices filtered through as a crowd gathered outside the room. Kate shot a death glare to the window and walked over and forcefully closed the blinds. Castle heard scurrying feet as officers turned away from the show. He couldn't help smiling when Karpowski yelled, "$50.00 on Beckett showing up as Wonder Woman."

"Umm," he swiped his hand through his hair, mussing it badly. Kate couldn't help thinking how adorable he looked all flustered and disheveled. "About that… Paul Whittaker came to me last week."

"Ann's writer, Paul?"

"Yes," Castle smiled broadly, still proud of the fact that he'd had a hand in bringing the comic book writer and his muse together… If only I could figure out how to do the same for Beckett and I.

"Let's keep this between us, … but he has a certain - fantasy"

Oh, the way Rick said 'fantasy' had Kate's nerves tingling.

"of her dressed in bright red leather, slinging around those Oriental sais, while mounting him - "

"Castle!" She choked out. "Enough. I get the picture." She breathed in deeply, trying to calm her racing heart. Unfortunately, Kate didn't know if it was racing because of her anger towards her partner, or because she was so turned on by him. Damn the man.

Castle knew immediately when Kate thought of a resolution. Her eyes lit up and her expression turned gleeful as she approached him with a sexy swing in her gait.

"I'll agree to wearing the costume on one condition, partner."

Oh noooo. I'm done for, he thought as he watched her sultry body advance towards him and heard her torrid voice, and really? Just one condition?

His heart practically thumped right out of his chest as she leaned into him and whispered naughtily, "Only if you let me use her lasso – " and she tapped the front of his chest. "Any," another tap, "way," another tap, "I want." Her words ghosted over his lips.

Castle noticeably gulped. How he wanted to take those lips and brand them as his own.

He nodded his head emphatically up and down, up and down. "Yes," he squeaked. "Any way you want, Beck - ett."

And she knew from the strained tone of his voice that he was envisioning her tying him up to her headboard and having her dirty way with him.

Uh-Oh, wait… Now that she came to think about it… Mmm - She flushed - that didn't sound like such a bad idea.

She turned away from him before her risque thoughts could get out of hand. Before walking out the door though, she just couldn't resist tormenting him further. She turned to Rick and smiled suggestively.

"And Castle?" she threw him that, 'I'm-always-right-and-don't-you-just-love-me-for-it?' look that drove him completely crazy.

And by God, he did love this remarkable, maddening challenging, frustrating woman.

"You'd better come as Superman because Wonder Woman loves to fly."

And Kate Beckett would swear she could feel Rick Castle's shit-eating grin as she saucily left the break room.


End file.
